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NY Jets OT Mekhi Becton is 'still rehabbing' from knee injury

Justin Fried
Justin Fried

The Jet Press

NY Jets, Mekhi Becton / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets are putting a lot of faith in young offensive tackle Mekhi Becton this season. The organization opted not to select a tackle early in the 2022 NFL Draft, instead relying on Becton to return to form this season.

The Jets are hoping to see a healthy and motivated Becton return this summer, ready to pick up where he left off following an incredibly promising rookie season. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, however.

General manager Joe Douglas joined Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney on WFAN Sports Radio this past Tuesday, during which he was asked about Becton's status and recovery timetable.

Douglas insisted that Becton was "still rehabbing" from the serious knee injury he suffered last season, although he is "on course" to be ready for training camp.

The NY Jets hope to see a healthy Mekhi Becton in training camp

Becton is notably absent from voluntary team workouts at the moment as he continues to train closer to home. It should be noted that his absence is very likely (at least partially) due to the fact that his girlfriend is pregnant and is due to deliver the couple's child later this month.

Douglas said that the Jets are looking forward to Becton returning once the baby is born and mandatory minicamp kicks off in June. That will be the first true test of where Becton is at with his progress.

The 11th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Becton put together an excellent rookie season that saw him emerge as one of the best young offensive linemen in the NFL. He seemed to be on the verge of a breakout before a disastrous 2021 season ensued.

Becton battled a foot injury in the spring, returned and reportedly struggled in training camp, and sustained a significant knee injury in the team's season opener.

It was a tumultuous sophomore NFL season for Becton, one that eventually even resulted in trade rumors this offseason. But after passing on an offensive tackle early in the draft, the Jets have made their intentions clear.

They're choosing to have faith in Mekhi Becton. They still believe in him as both a player and a person. Here's to hoping he rewards them for their trust this season.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.